How much $ will a good score on PSAT get me?

[BurnOut]

<p>Say I get around a 230. I know that’s very wishful, but just say I do. How much $ will that give me towards college (and does it depend on the college)?</p>

<p>I live in NYS. I want to go to an Ivy League. My family makes around 70 - 75k. I have a sister in college. </p>

<p>Tell me if you need any other deets.</p>

[4kidsdad]

<p>^Are you a junior? See [PSAT</a> Score Report | Interpreting PSAT Score](<a href=“http://www.princetonreview.com/college/psat-score-report.aspx]PSAT”>Guide to Your PSAT Scores | The Princeton Review) for National Merit Scholarships.

Each year, a (very) limited number of juniors qualify for National Merit Scholarships based on their PSAT scores. In the far right column of the score report, you’ll see your “Selection Index,” or cumulative score. The qualifying score changes from year to year, but it’s typically somewhere in the 210–215 range.</p>

<p>If you do qualify, you’ll be notified by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in September of your senior year. Talk to your counselor if you have questions about the process.

</p>

[intparent]

<p>Ivy league colleges generally do not give any extra scholarship money to National Merit Finalists. You can shoot for a one time $2,500 scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) or a corporate scholarship (although those often go to the children or relatives of employees of the corporations that sponsor them).</p>

<p>It still isn’t bad to have on your college application, though. And there are colleges that offer more scholarship money. For students with serious issues paying for college, there are schools like U of Alabama that offer full rides for National Merit Finalists.</p>

<p>Here is a whole forum of questions and answers on this this topic:</p>

<p>[National</a> Merit Scholarships - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/]National”>National Merit Scholarships - College Confidential Forums) </p>

<p>You probably should run the net price calculator at all the colleges you are interested in (get your parents to help you). With your parents’ income level and a sibling in college you will be eligible for some need based aid at many schools.</p>

[3togo]

<p>There are a few schools that give big scholarships for NMF students … the scores required to be a NMF vary by state … I assume New York’s are fairly high. The schools the offer these tend to be state schools like Alabama, Arizona, and Oklahoma. </p>

<p>Most of the top schools do not offer any merit aid (non of the Ivies for example). In addition, a few top schools have some big merit aid awards but not many and they are very competitive to win one. </p>

<p>That said there are a lot of very fine schools that do provide at least some merit aid.</p>

<p>How tight are your financial constraints? Have you and/or your parents tried a Net Price Calculator (NPC) at some of your top choices to see if they are affordable? Are you parents willing to pay your EFC?</p>

<p>If you’re capable of a 230 PSAT (and about a 2300 SAT) and have top grades you will be position to find large merit awards as long as you are flexible about your school choice.</p>